Last summer a number of our friends visited Paris and we had a chance to visit each other and enjoy this wonderful city together. One of our friends decided we should have a reunion here at home with a French dinner that we would all participate in. We chose to make a first dish and decided on vichyssoise. Vichyssoise is made with leeks, potatoes and cream and is served cold. It can be prepared the day before making it easy to transport and most importantly leaving you free to enjoy the party.
It was created by Chef Louis Diet (1885-1957) who worked at the Ritz hotels in Paris and New York according to the Internet. History tells another story about King Louis XV of France (15 February 1710 –1774) accidentally invented vichyssoise. The paranoid King loved his comforting potato soup but worried that someone was trying to poison him and demanded that a number of servants taste his food before he ate it. King Louis’ favorite recipe for potato soup was often passed from one servant to another. By the time it finally reached the King, it was cold. King Louis decided he preferred potato soup cold. Well whatever the story, it is a hardy soup that can be served in any weather.
The following is my husband’s recipe.
2 lbs Leeks, white and pale yellow parts only (requires approx. 3 lbs. of leeks the way they are sold)
1 lb Potatoes (Yukon gold or Idaho)
1 1/2 cups Heavy cream
2 tbsp. Butter
Chives
Salt
Fresh white pepper
Thoroughly wash the leeks. Do this in two steps: first cut the white part off about 1/2 inch from the place where the outer leave splits.
Cut the white part into half lengthwise and then cut into 1” pieces and put them in a large bowl of water.
Split the remaining part of the leeks lengthwise. Discard the green leaves and separate the pale yellow leaves. Cut them into small pieces and add them to the bowl of water. Keep the leeks in the water for at least 30 minutes to get all the dirt out. This step is critical as the dirt must be removed from the inside the leaves completely.
Melt the butter in a large pan and add the leeks sautéing them for 2 minutes. Add 2 quarts of water, slightly salted and bring to a boil.
Add the potato cubes and simmer for 30 minutes.
Transfer the leeks and the potatoes to a blender, using a slotted spoon. Reserve the cooking liquid.
Add the cream and blend adding as much cooking liquid required to reach the thickness you desire.
Season it with white pepper and salt.
Chill the Vichyssoise in the refrigerator over night.
Take the Vichyssoise out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Decorate with chopped chives.
Note: Many recipes call for a larger quantity of potatoes. In my opinion this turns the Vichyssoise into a potato soup and you lose the delicate flavor of the cooked leeks. The 2 to 1 ratio (net weight) of leeks to potatoes give the best results.
A friend asked me for a soup recipe for a Super Bowl Sunday party. Since she lives in New England and expects that it will be snowy, she wanted to make a big pot of hot soup for everyone to enjoy by the fire watching the game. I wanted to give her a really hearty soup that would satisfy everyone and yet be different.
While I was studying Italian in Bologna Italy, I took a course in cooking in the evenings. Monica was a child physiologist and taught the class with her husband who was an antiquities architect. They were serious food lovers and their kitchen had one small stove and refrigerator, with a huge country kitchen table in the middle where we rolled out dough to almost half the size of the table. It was tight trying to move between large credenzas on each side of the table and in the corner was a small table with a large basket filled with squash, artichokes and other assorted vegetables. Their home was filled with art bought at the art market held each Sunday in Bologna. We cooked and had long conversations in Italian late into the evening. I walked two miles back to my apartment after these evenings under the beautiful arched walkways of Bologna hoping to wear off the large meals that we consumed with complete satisfaction. This soup was one of the recipes we made and I have passed and have gotten rave reviews from all my friends. If you also want something warm for your guests, enjoy this recipe.
Zuppa di salsiccia e pomodoro e rosmarino con ditalini
Monica di Bologna, Italia
Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
4 Italian sweet sausages cut into 1/2” sections
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup pureed tomatoes (Passata di Pomodoro)
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup of white wine
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 lb. of Ditalini pasta or other small pasta
Sauté the garlic in olive oil. Sauté the sausage and rosemary for 10 minutes in the olive oil and butter. Add the wine, passata (pureed tomatoes) and the broth and cook for 45 minutes.
Cook the Ditalini pasta in salted boiling water. Drain and add the pasta to the soup. I like to put a scoop of pasta in the bowl and add the soup over it. Not mixing it in the soup will keep the pasta from getting too soft.
Serve with grated Parmesan Cheese sprinkled over the top and bruschetta on the side.
Bruschetta
Garlic Bread
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
8 slices of good quality Italian or French bread
2 large cloves of garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Toast the bread and when still hot rub it thoroughly with the garlic which you have cut in half. Sprinkle olive oil over the top.